Light source reflector support

ABSTRACT

A tubular light source reflector for the optical pumping of solid-state lasers is provided with a mounting ring molded directly on the outer surface of the reflector. A flexible plastic ring may be simultaneously molded around the mounting ring. The present invention relates to a light source reflector, more particularly for the optical pumping of solid-state lasers.

United States Patent 1151 3,683,174

Fuchs et a1. Aug. 8, 1972 [54] LIGHT SOURCE REFLECTOR 3,136,489 6/1964Oharenko ..240/l1.4 SUPPORT 3,242,440 3/1966 Koester et a1 ..331/94.5[72] Inventors: Bernard Fuchs, LHay-Les-Roses; g 3 Chrisfian Versaillesboth of 1 1 euter eta F 3,358,167 12/1967 Shanks ..240/11.4 3,388,9156/1968 Dega ..277/177 [73] Assignee: Compagnie Generale DElectricite,2,887,567 /1959 Dameral ..240/5l.1l Paris,France 3,162,373 12/1964 Biggset a1. ..240/1.2 3 211 491 /1965 Browne ..296/28 [22] Med 3,397,8568/1968 Sullivan ..248/22 [21} Appl.No.: 737,126 3,499,255 3/1970 Sweeney..52/263 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser [30] Fol-mg ApplicationPriority Data Assistant Examiner-C; E. Snee, 111

June 16, 1967 France ..110630 Attorney-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn &Macpeak [52] US. Cl. ..240/103, 240/1 1.4, 240/51.l1, [57] ABSTRACT Atubular light source reflector for the optlcal pumpf ing of solidstatelasers is provided with a mounting [58] Feld Search 277/177 I l ringmolded directly on the outer surface of the reflector. A flexibleplastic ring may be simultaneously [56] References and molded around themounting ring. The present inven- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion relates toa light source reflector, more particularly for the optical pumping ofsolid-state lasers. 2,386,873 10/1945 Mercier ..277/177 2,968,501 1/1961Tisch ..277/177 6 Claims, 3 Drawmg Figures 3,124,307 3/1964 Hoskins eta1. ..240/11.4

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PAIENTEDAUB 8 I972 FIGKI FIG.3

,1 0 a w v 1 LIGHT SOURCE REFLECTOR SUPPORT There are known, moreparticularly in solid-state lasers, light source reflectors foropticalpumping which are made either of glass or quartz and mounted and guidedwithin protective envelopes by metallic or plastic centering rings.However, such constructions have disadvantages, notably by reason of thefact that the walls of the reflector are not plane and that the fluidtightness is ensured only by external elements such as toroidalpackings. In addition, such an arrangement is insufficiently flexiblefor use in many applications, notably in experimental solid-statelasers.

The present invention has for its object notably to obviate theaforesaid disadvantages, and relates to a light source reflector whichis intended to be mounted in a protective envelope, more particularlyfor the optical pumping of solid-state lasers, characterized in that itis provided with a ring obtained by direct molding on at least one partof the outer wall of the reflector, serving for guiding said reflectorin said protective envelope and ensuring complete fluid tightnessbetween said ring and said reflector.

The molding effected on at least one part of the external wall of thereflector is performed by a series of operations: a first operationconsisting in casting a resin containing a catalyst in a cavity definedby the inside walls of a mold and the outside walls of the reflector, asecond operation consisting in effecting the polymerization of the resinat elevated temperature, and a third operation consisting in removingthe aforesaid mold in the cold condition.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description, which is given with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates in section areflector disposed in a mold in a phase preceding the molding operation;

FIG. 2 illustrates in section a reflector provided with a guide ringaccording to the invention, and

FIG. 3 illustrates in section a reflector in a protective envelope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1 FIG. 1, which shows a reflectordisposed in a mold illustrates the preliminary phase preceding themolding according to the invention. The reflector l, which comprises twotubes 2 and 3 bent over to form a closed end 4, is centered in a mold 6.An auxiliary ring 5 is disposed against the mold 6, defining a cavity 9with a portion of the outside wall of the tube 2. The auxiliary ring 5will preferably be made of a flexible material, for example of athermally stable plastic material, and the mold 6 will be made of anymetal.

A packing 7 adapted to withstanda temperature of at least 100 C. isdisposed between the auxiliary ring 5 and the mold 6 against the outsidewall of the tube 2, so as to ensure fluid-tightness between said ring 5and the mold. The packing 7 will be, for example, a siliconebasedtoroidal packing.

The inside faces of the cavity 9 previously cleaned, either with aproduct such as acetone or trichloroethylene, or by general sanding ofthe element, are coated with a fine dressing layer indicated at 8, forexample a fine layer of a product known under the reference SI A 4082 ofSociete des Silicones, which is intended to promote the adherence of themolding to the ring 5 and the reflector.

The molding operation, which is not illustrated in the drawings,comprises a number of phases. In a first phase, a mixture of resin andof a catalyzing product is cast in the cavity 9, for example by means ofa hypodermic syringe. In a second phase, the whole element obtained fromthe first phase is disposed in an oven and heated at a temperaturebetween 60 and C. for a period of 6 to 3 hours, so that the resin of themolding polymerizes. The mixture constituting the molding may consist,in a first example, of a mixture of a resin, such as that known underthe reference Si 182 of Societe des Silicones, with a catalyst, such asthat known under the reference XY 28 of the same company, by means ofwhich it is possible to obtain a first type of molding of constanthardness, or in a second example, of a mixture of two products, knownunder the trade mark Araldite registered by CIBA, and marketed bySociete Prochal under the references CY 220 and CY 221, and containing acatalyst, such as that known under the reference I-IY 952 of SocieteProchal, by means of which it is possible to obtain a second moldingwhose hardness coefficient varies as a function of the proportion of theaforesaid products contained therein.

FIG. 2 illustrates in section a reflector provided with a guide ringaccording to the present invention. The assembly obtained after themolding operation is allowed to cool and the mold 6, illustrated in FIG.1, is separated from said guide ring, so as to obtain a reflector 1provided with a guide ring 10 and outer auxiliary ring 5, the ring 10having very good adherence to. the walls of the tube 2 and of theauxiliary ring 5.

FIG. 3 illustrates in section a reflector according to the invention ina protective envelope, together with various elements constituting asolid-state laser head. The reflector 1 provided with two guide rings 10between the walls of the tube 2 and two auxiliary rings 5 is mounted inan enclosure 11 serving as a protective envelope, which consists of alight alloy, for example an aluminum alloy containing 5 percentmagnesium. The rings 10 serve to guide the reflector 1 within theenvelope 11.

Disposed in the interior of the two tubes 2 and 3 is a grid 12, forexample of copper, the gaps between the walls of the tubes 2 and 3 beingfilled, for example, with fine magnesia powder 14 tamped to have a gooddistribution in the said gap. A plug 13 consisting of a resin seals theend of the gap between the tubes 2 and 3 containing the grid 12 andmagnesia 1.4, and is formed with an aperture for the fluidtight passageof an electrode 19 connected to said grid through a sleeve 15. The grid12 represents the circuit for triggering or initiating the ionization ofthe gas contained in a helical tube 16 connected to two electrodes 17and 18, respectively. A solid rod 20, for example of ruby orneodymium-doped glass, is disposed within the helical tube 16 to whichit is secured.

Such an arrangement affords many advantages, notably:

the guide ring 10 permits centering of the reflector on the axis of therod 20,

since the helical tube is fast with the reflector, the ring 10 alsoserves to center the said tube 16 on the axis of the rod,

the fluid-tightness can readily be ensured by virtue of the fact thatthe molding constituting the ring 10 for guiding the reflector in theprotective envelope 11 is directly bonded to the reflector 1,

the auxiliary ring consisting of flexible material enables it to adaptitself to the irregularities of the surface of the envelope,

the guide ring makes it possible to avoid'danger of sparking between themetal rings and the triggering circuits.

In addition, since the reflectors are mounted on solid-state laser headsof standard type, it is possible to provide identical auxiliary ringssuch as 5 for all types of reflectors, which are generally cylindricalbut of variable external diameter, the space between the said auxiliaryring and the reflector being filled with the mixture employed for themolding for the assembly of the elements.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the an that various changes in form and details may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A reflector device suitable for mounting in a tubular housingcomprising a tubular reflector element having an irregular surfaceconfiguration in part, at least one annular support element molded tothe external irregular surface of said reflector element and havingexternal peripheral surface means adapted to cooperate with the internalsurface of a tubular housing to locate the reflector element at thedesired position in the housing.

2. A reflector device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annularsupport element is comprised of an internal portion of relatively hardmaterial molded directly to the external irregular surface of thereflector ele ment and an external portion of relatively soft materialintegrally molded to the internal portion to define said peripheralsurface means adapted to at least partially compensate forirregularaties in the internal surface of the housing.

3. A reflector device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said internalportion of said annular support element includes at least onepolymerized resin.

4. A reflector device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said externalportion of said support element includes a plastic material.

5. A reflector device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflectorelement is comprised of two coaxial tubes integral with one another atone end thereof and defining therebetween an annular space.

6. A laser comprising a tubular housing, a reflector element having anirregular surface configuration coaxially disposed within said housing,an annular support element molded to the external irregular surface ofsaid reflector element and having external peripheral surface meanscooperating with the internal surface of said housing to locate thereflector element at the desired position within said housing, a helicalflash tube swarms amlranflifisreilrsraarssr tube.

1. A reflector device suitable for mounting in a tubular housingcomprising a tubular reflector element having an irregular surfaceconfiguration in part, at least one annular support element molded tothe external irregular surface of said reflector element and havingexternal peripheral surface means adapted to cooperate with the internalsurface of a tubular housing to locate the reflector element at thedesired position in the housing.
 2. A reflector device as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said annular support element is comprised of an internalportion of relatively hard material molded directly to the externalirregular surface of the reflector element and an external portion ofrelatively soft material integrally molded to the internal portion todefine said peripheral surface means adapted to at least partiallycompensate for irregularaties in the internal surface of the housing. 3.A reflector device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said internal portionof said annular support element includes at least one polymerized resin.4. A reflector device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said externalportion of said support element includes a plastic material.
 5. Areflector device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflector element iscomprised of two coaxial tubes integral with one another at one endthereof and defining therebetween an annular space.
 6. A lasercomprising a tubular housing, a reflector element having an irregularsurface configuration coaxially disposed within said housing, an annularsupport element molded to the external irregular surface of saidreflector element and having external peripheral surface meanscooperating with the internal surface of said housing to locate thereflector element at the desired position within said housing, a helicalflash tube mounted coaxially within said reflector element and a laserrod mounted coaxially within the helix of the flash tube.